Its interesting that the team that built SpaceShipOne spent between $20m and $30m developing a craft that is aimed to win a $10m Prize. In my view they are not a private venture and should be disallowed, after all, as written on the side of the craft itself is Paul Allen project. Given that he is one of the wealthiest people on the planet it rather negates the original aims of the project.
Now, it is an amazing feat that deserves to be lauded but I think it is a case of he who has the most cash wins and the prize itself wasn't worthy of the merit. Another case of money triumphs over ingenuity.